Judge blocks White House media ban

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly of Washington, D.C., issued a preliminary injunction late Tuesday blocking the Trump administration from banning CNN, Politico and MS NOW from the White House complex.

Trump announced bans on social media

Trump announced the bans on September eighteenth, saying they were a result of the outlets' constant fake news reporting. He wrote on Truth Social that media outlets shouldn't constantly write fiction and lies.

“Media Outlets shouldn't be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they're covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America.”

Seventy-eight journalists lost access

The three news organizations said the ban affected seventy-eight journalists who had hard passes, meaning they had been previously screened and credentialed to work at the White House.

Outlets sued over First Amendment

CNN, Politico and MS NOW filed a lawsuit alleging Trump's action violated their due process rights and First Amendment protections for newsgathering and speech.

“This ban could not be a more direct assault on the First Amendment nor a more blatant violation of our most fundamental constitutional principles.”

Administration claimed national security

The White House then began arguing that the ban was intended to address national security concerns. Trump said the outlets' reporting was a threat to national security and must be stopped.

Judge found no security justification

Judge Kelly ruled that Trump used national security as a reason for the ban after the press passes had already been revoked. He found practically nothing national security-related in the record.

“There is practically nothing national security-related in the record connected to the President's decision to revoke Plaintiffs' hard passes to which the Court can defer.”

Judge sided with news outlets

Kelly sided with the news outlets, noting that Trump's motivation was content-based. He found the ban likely violated reporters' freedom of speech and due process rights.

Trump's own words showed intent

Kelly cited Trump's recent remarks to Time magazine that he didn't like bad story after bad story from the three outlets. Trump's attorney said this amounted to a confession of viewpoint discrimination.

“President Trump, I'll give him credit. He's not hiding it.”

White House argued access is privilege

At Thursday's hearing, Justice Department lawyer Michael Velchik argued that access to the White House is a privilege, not a right, and shouldn't be granted just because people identify as reporters.

“Access to the White House is a privilege, not a right.”

Outlets regain White House access

Kelly's order will give CNN, Politico and MS NOW access to the White House until the underlying lawsuit challenging the ban is resolved.But it doesn't require access to the Oval Office or Air Force One.

Trump vowed to appeal the ruling

Trump vowed to appeal on Truth Social before the ruling was handed down. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment following the ruling.

Justice Department opens antitrust probe

Separately, the Justice Department said last week it was investigating five major TV networks, including CNN and NBC, for potentially violating federal antitrust laws after they declined to provide pool coverage of Trump.

Networks withheld coverage in solidarity

The networks temporarily declined to provide pool coverage of Trump as a result of the ban against the three news outlets.The pool is a rotating group of networks that share recording duties during public appearances.